I like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain...

I'm kidding. I prefer margaritas - do credit me with some taste, please.

My usual habitat: good coffee shop, sipping a macchiato, with my nose in a book. I am a coffee Nazi. If the coffee’s not right it’s not going unnoticed.

I also enjoy cycling which gets me out into the sunshine and bombing it down a hill (often inadvertently catching flies between my teeth - not so much enjoyment involved when it comes to the flies obviously).

I am a frustrated artist (is there any other kind, one wonders?) and much bemoan my decision NOT to go to art school. Idle moments have my hand reaching for a pencil and a scrap of paper to draw on.

Trying to learn more about wine appreciation and what makes for a good glass. Trip to Vinopolis anyone? Since to my shame, I like still like Asti, I clearly have much to learn. Aw, don’t fret - I don’t plumb the depths with Lambrini or its ilk (e.g Blue Nun, shudders).

I’m best summarised as easy going, spontaneous and a real explorer.

From My Facebook Profile:
I like toast & toasting
Cycling
Going to the cinema
Listening to music
Going to concerts
Visiting historic houses
Visiting galleries

I am quirky, adventurous, and affectionate

Working as a barista at a coffee shop whilst having a career rethink. I’m not really Ms. Logic although I like to think I’ve successfully trained self into the usage of logical thought patterns. I am actually more of a ‘sling it at the wall and see if it sticks’ creative type with a love of the happy accident. I am hoping to get into copywriting, journalism or in any event something that uses my untapped writing skills.

Ah, an invitation to cast habitual modesty to the four winds? Here goes, then!

Seeing the funny side – customarily aided by arch sarcasm (which is NOT the lowest form of wit – I offer up slapstick for that title).

Being a working demonstration of Murphy’s Law – which is not to say I’m a pessimistic miserablist (see last entry).

Eating rather firey chillies whilst maintaining my composure (adrenaline junkie, moi?).

Navigating. Oh yes. I am shamelessly smug about this since it gives me the chance to subvert the commonly held assumption that we ladies cannot read maps.

Enthusing about cars even though I can’t legally drive as I haven’t yet passed my driving test. This is, as you might imagine, a constant source of frustration for a petrol head.

Backrubs and massages. Griff Rhys Jones dons jam jar specs for comic effect - "This could be your lucky day!"

Overusing brackets and hyphens. Hem.

Um, that would be my height or lack thereof as I'm a compact and bijou 4ft 11 1/2 ins. Hey, don't begrudge me the 1/2 inch! Being of such diminutive stature it's all important.

The next thing would likely be my hazel eyes which - so I've been told - are quite intense and then perhaps, more irritatingly, the sprinkling of freckles across my nose.

I'm frequently irreverent.

Principally, I admire musicians who produce passionately emotive and /or innovative work – hence my fondness for Björk (although she's more challenging lately), Andrew Bird, Kate Bush, Rufus Wainwright, and Tori Amos.

Although I have a fondness for folk and simple acoustic music (Ray Lamontagne, Lou Rhodes, Iron & Wine, Nick Drake, Mawkin: Causley) which I feel expresses the essential tender nuances of my spirit I also have an appreciation of electronica (Four Tet, Murcof, Massive Attack, Tricky). When I’m in a more feisty mood you might find my listening extends to Marilyn Manson, P.J Harvey, My Ruin, Nine Inch Иails or Rage Against The Machine.

Food. When it comes to food I'll try most things at least once.

I'm a fan of: Pad Thai
Amaretti biscuits
Mushroom Stroganoff
Pizza
Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough or pistachio icecream
My best friend’s stem ginger cheesecake
Middle Eastern / Lebanese
…oh and most things made with chillies and/or lots of spices.

From my Facebook profile:

Books: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, The Famished Road by Ben Okri, Song Of Solomon by Toni Morrison, Saturday Night by Ian McEwan.

Movies: Amelie, Leon, The Secretary, Full Metal Jacket, Fallen, Crouching Tiger / Hidden Dragon, The Fountain, Pan's Labyrinth.

TV Shows: Mythbusters, The I.T Crowd, Top Gear, Oz & James Drink To Britain, Q.I, Balderdash & Piffle, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Fringe and anything with Dan Cruikshank, Bear Grylls or David Attenborough.

Music: Peter Gabriel, Andrew Bird, Goldfrapp, Sinead O'Connor, Thom Yorke, PJ Harvey, Rufus Wainwright, Paul Simon, Björk, Iron & Wine, The 'Zep, Seth Lakeman, Craig Armstrong, Beck, NIN, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Massive Attack, Cut Chemist, Lo'jo, Me'shell Ndegeocello... ask me tomorrow and it'll likely be different..

1. My cat - he's my grumpy old sidekick and organic footwarmer
2. My books - I've accumulated the makings of quite a library!
3. My MP3 collection - because life needs a soundtrack
4. My family/friends - for sheer entertainment value and unfailing support
5. My lappy - without it life just wouldn't be possible, would it?
6. Oh and lastly but definitely not leastly - sex. Headache? What headache?

- Where I can get my next cultural or arty fix
- How baggy-arsed trousers got to be so fashionable
- Why Alan Tichmarsh & Piers Morgan are such popular broadcasters
- What I need to do to get me where I want to go in life

There's no such thing as a "typical" Friday night for me; anything goes. I like new experiences and it tends to be a spontaneous decision. I dislike routine and predictability.

Um, I listen to Radio 4 sometimes.

...you like the cut of my jib?

...you've been brainwashed by my advertising blurb, you poor soul.